Watch winding and setting mechanism



March 11, 1952 E. A. cHlFFl-:LLE 2,589,052

WATCH WINDING AND SETTING MECHANISM Filed MarCh 6, 1945 2 SHEETS--SHEET l .Fim/rms? March 1l, 1952 E. A. CHIFFELLE 2,589,052.

WATCH WINDING AND SETTING MECHANISM Filed March e, 1945 2 SHEETS- SHEET 2 Patented Mar. ll, 1952 OFFICE WATCH WINDING AND SETTING MECHANISM Eugne Alexandre Chiffelle, Besancon, France Application March 6, 1945, Serial No. 581,203 In France January 5, 1944 Section 1, Public Law 690, August 8, 1946 Patent expires January 5, 1964 4 Claims.

The present invention relates more particularly to watches intended to be sold at a reduced price.

Its

cost price, without impairing their good working. Another object of the invention is to enable machines of usual construction and, presses. to be used for the mass production of the watches in question.

This double object is reached by means of a number of steps which are mutually dependentas will be hereinafter explained.

The rst step consists in arranging, in known f manner in certain devices, the winding and hand setting stem, not parallel, but perpendicularly to the plane of the dial and in shaping the case atY that point in such a manner that the winding knob, in its position of rest and of Winding, is,

case whilst facilitating the positioning of the knob in the recess of the case. As a consequence, the mechanism per se of the watch can dispose of all the desirable space.

The stem and the knob are made integral byv riveting, soldering, screwing by means of a right hand thread, etc. and they therefore form part of the watch case the special shape of which, d ue to the way in which the knob is lodged, is's'o adapted as to constitute a bearing for the wind, ing stem. The said stem is bored axially to house a spindle secured to the frame plate and serving as a guide for the sliding movement of the stem so as to ensure correct meshing of the winding pinion with either one of the pinions engaging` either the ratchet or the minute Wheel.

This perfect guiding enables a spiral spring to- Finally the compression of the said spring limits:

object is to simplify the construction of these:- Watches and therefore to further reduce their'- especially the longitudinal motion of the stem and prevents the winding pinion from going beyond its correct meshing position with the minute pinion.

Another advantage resulting from the preceding construction, and in particular from the fact that the hand setting device does away with all the movable members which are usually on the 3/4 frame plate or on the barrel bridge in watches having thick bridges, is that it is no longer necessary to provide for the lodging of these members on these bridges; as a consequence, the 3/4 frame plate can be reduced in thickness as far as the functions it still has to full allow, without incurring the risk of warping. To this end, the 3/4 frame plate is suitably ribbed by mere stamping in order to form a kind of a hood completely or partially surrounding the top of the barrel and extended to form three or more lugs which are folded back with a View to replacing the usual built up pillars and to serving as fixing means on the frame plate. The latter can also be provided with the same peripheral ribbing.

The accompanying drawing shows, by way of example, two Watches in accordance with the invention.

Fig. l relates to a watch of the RoskoiT pattern with a lidless barrel, and is a sectional View taken on the axis of the barrel.

Fig. 2 relates to another watch with a conventional barrel, and is a developed sectional View taken on the axis of said barrel.

In the drawings, reference numeral I designates the arbor of the barrel 2. The arbor on its opposite ends has journals 3 and 4 which pvot respectively in the frame plate 5 and in a bridge 6 described more fully hereinafter. The bridge 6 is fitted in an opening in a frame plate 1. Between its two journals 3 and 4, the arbor I has a cross sectional cylindrical shape of large diameter serving as a pivoting member for the barrel 2. A ratchet 8 is mounted on a cross sectionally square member 9 of the arbor near the journal 3.

In the type of watch shown in Fig, 1, the spring anchoring member I 0 is mounted on a cross sectionally square member II of the arbor I near the journal 4, and in proximity to the open face of the barrel 2.

According to the invention, the winding of the watch and the setting of the hands are effected by actu-ating a rotary and slidableY stem disposed perpendicularly to the plane of the dial 20. This' stem 2l exhibits, at one end, a ange in which are formed the teeth of a pinion 22. At the centre of this pinion issues a blind axial perforation 23 which receives a pin 24 integral with the fra-me plate 5, said pin serving as axis of rotation and as longitudinal guide for the stem 2|. This stem is moreover guided in a perforation of the back portion of the watch case 34. It carries outside the case an actuating knob which is, for example, riveted to ahead-at the end of said stern, or screwed thereon by means of a right vhanded screw thread. About at mid length, the stem 2| has an annular bulge 26, on which bears one end of a coil spring 21 passed over the stem. 'The other end of this spring abuts against a rigid Washer 28 which compresses aresilient washer 29, made of felt, for example, in contact with the back of the watch case. The spring 21 fulfils a threefold purpose. It limits the longitudinal motion of the stem 2| outwards, it urges this stem inwardly of the case until it reaches the position shown in Fig. 1 and on the left part of Fig. 5, and,

nally, it ensures tightness of the passage for the stem 2| through the back of the watch case.

ljIn thenormal position of the stem, its knob 25 is concealed in a vrecess 30 atthe back of the watch case. For this position, the pinion l22 meshes withan intermediary wheel 3| whichpermanently meshes with the ratchet 8. This correspondsto the winding position.

'On the contraryfwhen the stem 2| has been pulled (right hand iportion of Fig. 2) until the spring l2-'1 is completely flattened, the pinion 22 meshes withanother intermediary wheel 32. The lattermeshes permanently with the large minute wheel I`3?either directly (Fig, 1), or through the medium of a pinion 3,2 integral with said pinion 32 .L.( F.'g- 12,)

In Ithe watch shown in Fig. 1 a gear wheel 36 meshes with a minute pinionl., The wheel 36 is disposed between'theratch'et 8 and the pinion 31. If desired the wheel 36 may be held on its free ,portion by means of asmall plate 38 locked in a recess of the frame plate 5, or the corresponding bridge, said plate 38 being cut out so as to leavethe wheel 36 free.

The manner in which the winding stem is positioned would allow a round watch case, with a screwed facing vring to be realized in a very simple way. In the case of a wrist watch, the fixing ears thereof could then be carried by the back of the case, the-offset of the face of the watch with respect tothe back of the watch case being then of no importance. n

It is to kbe understood that the invention is not limited to what is described and illustrated, but it also covers variants.- On the other hand, the invention can be applied, wholly or in part, to `all types of watches of all qualities. It leaves the designer complete freedom as to the choice of the appropriate escapement.

What I claim asmy invention and desire to secure by Letters APatent is:

'1. AIn a wrist watch, the combination with hands, a pivot for said hands, a dial associated therewith, a frame plate carrying said dial and hands, a barrel on said frame plate controlling the hands, of a hand-controlled winding .and setting mechanism including a gearing adapted to wind the barrel, a gearing adapted to set the hands, twopinions.ofequalmoduli lyinen superposed -planes and engaging respectively the two said gearings, aspindle parallel .to the .hand pivot, acasing ,carrying the different above-mentioned parts provided with a recess in the surface opposed Vto the dialand frame plate and in which the spindle is revolubly mounted, the spindle being adapted to slide longitudinallybetween two predetermined positions inside the casing, the i .the spindle is in the innermost or outermost extreme position and a control knob carried by the slidable revoluble spindle on the outside of the casing and housed normally inside the recess vwhen the spindle is in the rst innermost above deiined position for which rotation of the knob provides awinding of the barrel, said knob when drawn outwardly out of the casing recess bringing the spindle into its second outermost position for which rotation of the knob provides a setting of the-hands.

2. In a wrist watch, the combination with hands,a pivot forsaidhands, a dial associated therewith, a frame plate carrying said dialand hands,a barrel on said frameplate controlling the hands, of a hand-controlled winding .and setting mechanism including a.geari ng adapted to wind the barrel, a gearing adapted to set the hands, two pinions of y equal moduli lying in superposed planes and engaging respectively thel two said gearings, a casing carrying the different above-mentioned parts provided with a recess in the surface opposed to the dial and frameplate, a pin rigid with the frame plate and held inside the casing in a direction parallel to the pivot of the hands, a spindle provided with an axialblind perforation coaxially engaging saidpin, revolubly and adapted `to slide thereon between V.two extreme positions inside .the casing, .the innermost. position of the Vspindle .being its normal position.

nearer the frame plate than in itsoutermost position in which the spindle is displaced from its normal position, a pinion keyed to said nspindle and adapted to mesh selectively with the rst,

barrel-controlling pinion and with the. second, hand-setting pinion according as to .whether .theI spindle is in the innermost or outermost extreme.,

position and a control knob carried by the. slidable revoluble spindle on the outside of the casing and housed normally inside the recess when the.

spindle is in the rst innermost above dened position for which rotation of the knob provides a winding of the'barrel, said knob when .drawn outwardly out of the casing recess bringing .the spindle inits second outermost position for .which rotation of the knob providesa setting of the hands.

.3. In a wrist watch, theA combination with hands, a pivot for said hands, a dial associated.

therewith, a frame plate oarryingsaid dial and hands, a barrel on said frame plate controlling, the hands of a hand-controlling winding and.

setting mechanism including a vgearing adaptedl to wind the barrel, a gearing adapted to set'thev hands, two pinions of equal Amoduli lying in superposed planes and engagingv respectively the twoA said gearings, a spindle parallel to the hand pivot, a casing carrying the diierent above-mentioned parts provided outwardly with `a recess in thel surface opposed to the dial and frame plate `and in which the .spindle is revolubly mounted, ,thespindle being adapted to slidelongitudinally between two predetermined positions inside the casing, the innermost position of the spindle'being its normal position nearer .thelirame plate than in its outermost position in which the spindle is dis-y placed from its normal position, a `spring urging-- said spindle int'o 'extreme' innermost position' a' pinion keyed to said spindle and adapted to mesh selectively with the iirst, barrel-controlling pinion and with the second, hand-setting pinion according as to whether the spindle is in the innermost or outermost extreme position and a control knob carried by the slidable revoluble spindle on the outside of the casing and housed normally inside the recess wherein the knob is held under the action of the spring when the spindle is in the iirst innermost above defined position for which rotation of the knob provides a winding of the barrel, said knob when drawn outwardly out of the casing recess bringing the spindle into its second outermost position for which rotation of the knob provides a setting of the hands.

4. In a wrist watch, the combination with hands, a pivot for said hands, a dial associated therewith, a frame plate carrying said dial and hands, a barrel on said frame plate controlling the hands, of a hand-controlling winding and setting mechanism including a gearing adapted to wind the barrel, a gearing adapted to set the hands, two pinions of equal moduli lying in superposed planes and engaging respectively the two said gearings, a casing carrying the diierent above-mentioned parts provided with a recess in the surface opposed to the dial and frame plate, a pin rigid with the frame plate and held inside the casing in a direction parallel to the pivot of the hands, a spindle provided with an axial blind perforation coaxially engaging said pin, revolubly and adapted to slide thereon between two extreme positions inside the casing, the innermost position of the spindle being its normal position nearer the frame plate thanin its outermost position in which the spindle is displaced from its 6 normal position, a spring urging said spindle into its extreme innermost position, a pinion keyed to said spindle and adapted to mesh selectively with the iirst, barrel-controlling pinion and with the second, hand-setting pinion according as to whether the spindle is in the innermost or outermost extreme position and a control knob carried by the slidable revoluble spindle on the outside of the casing and housed normally inside the recess wherein the knob is held under the action oi the spring when the spindle is in the iirst innermost above dened position for which rotation ol the knob provides a, Winding of the barrel, said knob when drawn outwardly out of the casing recess bringing the spindle into its second outermost position for which rotation of the knob provides a setting of the hands.

EUGNE ALEXANDRE CHIFFELLE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED S'IATES PATENTS 

